1971-73 Ford Mustang Standard Gas Cap on 2040-parts.com

Ford Escort returns – for China: Shanghai Motor Show

The Ford Escort Concept has been built by Ford with the aim of taking a sizeable chunk of China’s compact saloon market – estimated at 5.5 million sales a year – and looks remarkably production viable and far from ‘budget’. Escort is a badge China knows – there are plenty of old Escorts floating around Chinese roads – so it’s a sensible move by Ford to revive a badge that already resonates as a compact, affordable saloon with Chinese car buyers. This new Escort gets a proper version of Ford’s latest design language – including the Aston Martin grill – and has good lines and strong detail including jeweled headlights with the lucky Chinese ’8′ discernible ; it looks entirely cohesive and nothing like a Focus with a boot grafted on.

McLaren’s Jenson Button & Lewis Hamilton get animated

McLaren has teamed up with Framestore to produce a series of animated – and amusing – cartoons showing on Sky F1. Somehow, despite having the British Grand Prix in one window and the Andy Murray match at Wimbledon in another on Sunday, we managed to miss this cartoon featuring McLaren, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button on Sky F1. It seems Sky F1 will be featuring a new cartoon from McLaren at every Grand Prix for the rest of the season, and if they are up to this standard they’ll be well worth looking forward to.

Chevrolet Sonic at the 2011 Detroit auto show

One of GM's numerous debuts at the 2011 Detroit auto show was this: the Chevrolet Sonic. Shown as a hatchback and four-door notchback, it's one of The General's weapons to tackle the now-globalised Ford Fiesta and its ilk. Good spot. That's because this is the US-spec Aveo - albeit shown in US-only notchback form as well as the more Euro-flavoured hatchback.